Haruki Murakami to Donate Massive Record Collection to University

His 10,000+ vinyl records will be archived at Waseda University in Tokyo

Haruki Murakami photo by Ole Jensen/Corbis via Getty images

Renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami is well known for his love of music, a voracious listener who possesses a record collection that features over 10,000 vinyl records. Now, he has announced he will donate that collection to his alma mater, Waseda University in Tokyo, along with manuscripts and other materials, as NPR and the Japan Times report. “I couldn’t be happier if (the center) will help those who want to study my works. I hope it will be something that promotes cultural exchange,” the writer said in a press conference. Murakami also stated that he hopes to organized a concert using his vinyl collection.

During a recent Japanese radio appearance, Murakami cited music as a crucial part of his creative process as writer. In 2016, he published Absolutely On Music, a collection of conversations with former Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Seiji Ozawa.